Racing years ago had a different complexion than it does today. Not all the cars were cookie cutter styled nor all powered by the same small block Chevrolet. Variety in power plants as well as body styles was the norm. A coupe or a coach? A flathead or an inline six cylinder? 1933 or 1940?In general these questions were answered by a man's personal tastes. He built the kind of car he like to build or could afford and ran the type of engine he knew how to work on. Even the car number had some personal choice behind it. Some of this is still alive today, but it is now big business instead of fun.You got involved in racing because your neighbor carried you to the local track or your neighborhood gas station sported a coupe out front during the week. Or your dad worked with a man who drove on Saturday nights at the local racetrack. Or you mouthed off to your buddies that you could do as good as any of those guys out there and to everyone's big surprise, including yourself, you could.Racing was serious work when you strapped into the car to race. But in general it was fun!You and your pals worked on the car out behind the barn or in one stall of that neighborhood gas station after hours or in a garage with a single 20 watt light bulb hanging down over the engine. You always found some place to work on the car.There were no dreams of making the big time or if there were you jokingly talked about winning the Indy 500. You didn't spend hours chasing down sponsors so you could go to the store and buy another wheel or radiator or fuel cell. You hammered out the wheel that got bent when you hit the wall on the front stretch last week and you soldered the radiator holes yourself because you couldn't afford to go down to the AIA junk yard and pay $10 for another one. And fuel cells; if drivers had really known the time bombs they were driving, there might have never been any racing.Not everything new is bad nor everything old good; but some things have been cast aside for no good reason other than "We don't do it that way anymore".Nothing will ever sound as sweet as a 60 over with a one-sixteenth stroke flathead Ford with 3-Strombergs, a 304 junior and high compression heads with straight headers..... with a possible exception of a 302 Jimmy screaming down the back straightaway.
yeah but i had to put a flair in there you know
That's how I remember it and how my Dad tells it. One of his workmates drove, then he drove for fun as he says, and he always helped guys in the pit who didn't have a pit crew. One of which was W.O. Scott, among others. I can't recall who owned it...will have to check but my Dad used to drive 45 at Columbia Speedway before I was born. Johnny, I'd say he was making memories, for sure. Thank you for your post.
devin you need to set your dad down and with a tape recorder running get him on a roll talking about back in the day---when you get all out of him possible set down and listen then write it out--then you will have------------------------------memories
You know I can remember your dad at the tracks when I was little growing up because I was in the truck or the chase car every time I could get to go,even a couple of times when I wasnt supposed to go.Your dad and mine were friends back in the day and im not saying I remember you there but there is a memory way back there that keeps popping his head out saying different, Some day we may well just set down and hit on something both of us remember that will turn both our lights on then that really will be -------------------------------------------------memories
Aight man get to work and build a ride like you can close your eyes and remember way back when --you know back when our world revolved around that man that would crawl into that car and go play just like we would when we got into his seat ,now that is based on --------------------------memories
hurry joe tim and myself are waiting on you just think what kind of billing that would have wow now i will dream all night ,sweet dreams ------------------------------------more memories